I've found that a welcome video helps for students to see that you are in-fact a real person.  Also being accessable via text message or send text messages to students as a reminder that you've emailed them can be helpful.

Best course on MAX Knowledge that I have taken.  I will make changes in the assesment techniqes of my department

After teaching a course I realized that multiple students ask the same questions.  I create a frequently asked question list and send it to all students before they have to ask it.  I also update the list as the class goes along.  This way the student can read it and know the answers to questions you know they will be emailing you about.  This reduces their confusion and reduces the amount of email you get.

I have taught for 25 years in a traditional classroom.  The last 6 years I implemented a website classroom to supplement the traditional classroom, but I had not taught completely online. Converting from a traditional classroom to an online classroom has the same components of a course with differnent advantages and disadvantages.  There is so much more technology can offer to the individual learner.  Differentiated instruction and multi-sensory learning is easier to develop and implement online for students of all learning styles.  However, an ill-constructed online courses leaves room for less than rigorous learning.

I use my life experiences to teach my classes. They respond better.

I have been teaching online since 2005. When I started this was a new platform and no one knew what to do with it, so most professors took their face to face lectures and posted them online. Well....we now know this doesnt work to increase engagement at all. You have to change lectures and work harder to get students involved than you would in a classroom setting.

In a classroom if students are having issues you talk to them.

Online students need the same kind of understanding. In fact many of them are juggling, school, work, kids, families, etc. I… >>>

Interestingly, as I worked through the modules in this course I could see how advances in technology have been applied to online learning in my current position. It was encouraging to see that all of these considerations -- mobile devices, integrated learning, multiple point outputs, etc are all being addressed by the new course designs at my school.

I just started - today - learning about online teaching. This course - EL 101 - seemed like a good start on developing an online course.  I look forward to taking more MK courses on online teaching.

What are your thoughts on using social media as a way to interact with student? I have been told we are not allowed to friend our students on FB but many instructors do. Does anyone have thoughts about this?

I think the course was truly valuable. It motivated me to expand my teaching techniques to reach even more students. I always strive to make teaching interactive and offer personalized feedback, but I truly enjoyed learning about a holistic approach. I am going to try and approach teaching from this perspective.